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September 11, 2016

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Have you started any Fall baking yet? This is my first pumpkin recipe of the season and it's a really really good one! These cookies are fantastic and are sure to be a huge hit. They are a unique and super pretty cookie.

The cookie is a soft and chewy, lightly spiced, cinnamon pumpkin cookie with a tangy cream cheese filling and a sweet chocolate drizzle. The flavor combo and textures are like a party in your mouth. Chewy cookie, creamy filling and then you've gotta love that "snap" when you bite into hardened chocolate.

The cookie only has a light pumpkin flavor, but with the help of the cinnamon and nutmeg, they still make you think of Fall when you sink your teeth into them. They are great at room temperature, but I love eating them chilled, right out of the fridge.

This recipe calls for chilling the dough before baking. I did try baking this dough when un-chilled and chilled and as far as taste and texture, they turned out the same. BUT, they do look a lot prettier when the dough has been chilled. That way, you can roll the dough into balls and they bake into pretty round cookies. If you decide to bake these without chilling the dough, you will have to spoon the dough onto the cookie sheets and they don't end up perfectly round once baked.

Either way, these are delicious and they taste fresh for days and days.

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour1 1/2 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. salt1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg1/2 c. (8 Tbl.) unsalted butter, room temperature1/2 c. shortening (I use butter-flavored)1 c. sugar1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed1 large egg2 tsp. vanilla3/4 c. pumpkin pureeCream Cheese Filling4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature3 Tbl. unsalted butter, room temperature1 c. powdered sugar1 tsp. vanillapinch of saltFor Garnish1/3 c. milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips1/3 c. white chocolate chips1 tsp. shortening, dividedIn a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and shortening and mix until combined. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat until combined and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the pumpkin puree. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, scraping down the bowl as you go. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Dough should be firm enough to roll into balls. After dough has been chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, spacing two inches apart. Bake for about 12 minutes. Cookie will be puffed and lightly golden on the bottom. Remove from oven and using a 1/2 Tablespoon measuring spoon, press down in the center of the cookie, making an indentation. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. When cookies are cool, fill indentation with cream cheese filling and drizzle with melted chocolate. Allow chocolate to set. Serve. Store leftover cookies in the refrigerator. Makes about 42 cookies.Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter and mix until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and mix until well combined.For Garnish: Place chocolate chips in a small bowl and the white chocolate chips in a separate small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of shortening to each bowl. Microwave until chocolate is melted, stirring every 30 seconds until completely smooth. Using a fork, drizzle over cookies. Base cookie recipe adapted slightly from: Annie's Eats